Dining Lists

More often than not my conversations with family, friends, acquaintances, and complete strangers revolve around the subject of food.  And more often than not, the conversation leads to people asking me what my favorite Chicago restaurant is.  I’m not complaining – I love talking about food.  But that question is, with all due respect, not a very good one.

So when asked, I put on my “consulting hat” – a hat I’ve learned to wear through years of being in the field, and answer as a true consultant would  –  “It depends.”  “It depends” is my answer because, well, it truly does depend.  Are we talking about my favorite place to dine on a warm summer night or my favorite place to get a cozy booth in cooler months?  An extravagant night out or a neighborhood gem?  An impressive date night or a brunch with girlfriends?  Eclectic food, or traditional Italian?  You get the point.  There is no way I could ever possibly choose just one restaurant as my favorite. 

That is like asking a fashion guru what her favorite accessory is, or a sports fanatic who their favorite player is.  It just doesn’t work that way.

That’s where lists come into play – dining lists.  Think about it – the Michelin stars, the James Beard awards, the Top Ten Rooftop Bars - each is a list that helps you take the vast world of food and compartmentalize it a bit in a way that’s helpful and comprehendible.  They’re fun to peruse, pin, and tweet.  And dining lists in particular are also exceptionally fun to check off.  

And there’s perhaps no greater excitement than to dine at a restaurant and realize that it definitely makes one of your own lists.  It means the place is on the top of their game, they’re unique, a cut above, and worthy of your backing.  So when people ask what your favorite Chicago restaurant is, you have a response.  You can start with “It depends” and go from there.

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Coming next week…  a restaurant review that makes one of my “lists" (like perhaps this one for 2012.) Subscribe to Friday emails to catch it.

inside:: Kajitsu and the matcha way

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Tucked away on a quiet-ish side street of New York’s East Village lies a garden level restaurant steeped in Japanese Buddhist history and… matcha tea.  When planning our recent jaunt to Manhattan, I stumbled upon a quick blurb on this restaurant and was immediately intrigued to learn more.  Two-star Michelin lauded shojin cuisine developed by Zen Buddhist monks?  Little did I know that going there would open my mind and memory to a whole cultural experience that is so reverent and mystical that I would be forever affected.

When I was in college, I used my senior status to snag a seat in a Japanese Tea Ceremony class.  My friends thought I was crazy, as on Wednesday mornings I would leave campus at 7:30am to walk thirty minutes to the Japanese tea gardens, to a small tea house where class was held.  Each week’s class contained a time for private meditation, a lesson in Japanese history, and, a tea ceremony.

The tea ceremony was always my favorite time.  The class gathered in a circle on the floor, and our instructor would perform the specific rituals that comprise this extension of hospitality.  Shuffle shuffle into the room, a slow long bow to us each.  I wish I remembered each step as acutely as I remember the sounds, smells, and taste of matcha tea.

Matcha tea was always served in thin light tea bowls, of which each guest lightly slurped their tea in three swallows.  The concentrated green tea has a slightly bitter taste, and was often served with a light bean paste treat.

And “treat” is the one word I will use to describe the tiny restaurant Kajitsu.  In its essence, it is an establishment that serves shojin cuisine, which in and of itself is something to marvel.  This is veganism at its finest – fresh, in season vegetables, legumes, herbs, seeds and grains, “chosen at the moment that best reflects their flavor”.  Each course served on beautiful Japanese pottery, which the restaurant repairs if they are chipped or damaged as a sign of humility and respect for the artist who created it.

We sat at the chef’s counter, arguably the best place to perch in the 26-seat restaurant.  As we chatted over our 8-course menu, we watched the Chef prepare each element with abundant finesse.

Another welcomed surprise to the meal was the crisp and cool sake pairings. I’ve never enjoyed sake so.  Erase any preconceived notion of what sake tastes like at your neighborhood sushi joint, as Kajitsu’s selection proffers smooth, clean flavors, bidding one to sip rather than bomb.

After our meal, we watched the Chef prepare matcha tea, whisking the green powder to frothy delight, turning the bowl just so, with a light bow as he served us.   The ceremonious routine resonating gratitude and respect for this cultural experience.

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Interested in exploring matcha tea? I found matchasource.com sells it online, and The Green Teaist in Lake Forest, IL serves and sells it.  Or venture out to Kajitsu, for the complete package of food, tea, culture, and pleasure.

Kajitsu
414 E. 9th Street, New York, NY 10009
212.228.4873

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Clarity.

Surprise!  Do you remember me?  It’s been awhile.  I’ve missed you.  I really have.  But I’m also very glad I took the break.  Allow me to explain a bit…

For those that blog, I think most will agree that it can become very time-consuming, and it’s worthwhile when there’s give and take (ie – you’re having fun, your readers are too, and perhaps there’s some perks on the side with partnerships or sponsors).  For me however, the time it was taking started to not feel as worthwhile as it should, and I started to blame myself that this was because my blog didn’t have a purpose.  So I started searching for a purpose, and I allowed myself time away from ‘le blog’ in order to do so.

And that’s when it hit me. I can make this blog whatever I’d like. It sounds so simple right. But sometimes it’s hard to see the forest through the trees.  I had been feeling like there were certain things I needed to do in order to run a successful blog – post every day, keep up with commenting, manage my Pinterest boards, and Twitter feed, and Facebook page.  And that’s not all possible for me and what I want to do with my time.

So I let go of that notion, and I’m telling myself it’s OK if I don’t do all those things, and it’s probably better for my time, my perspective, and my goals if I don’t.  And that made me feel a lot better, and enabled me to see more clearly.  And only with this self-inflicted pressure lifted could I realize that what I missed most was delving into the food scene.  The exploration of a new restaurant, or the research behind an up-and-coming chef, or the ideas that hit me when I spot a new food trend.  That’s what I miss.  So that’s what I’ll write.

The other things will take care of themselves. 

If anyone is still out there, thank you.  Please come back, as I write with this fresh perspective on a topic I’m most passionate about.  And while you're at it, subscribe by email for a weekly article to ensure you don't miss anything.  Fridays.  Every Friday – one foodie post.  I feel so much better to be able to say that with clarity.